Reign of Blood
by tibberonlenny
Summary: 11 years ago, a royal blooded baby was stolen and her family killed. Now at 15 years of age, her past is catching up to her. Little does she know that as she flees to Corus, her safety is the last thing waiting for her.
1. Chapter 1

-1**Thank you all for taking the time to read this. I have only wrote one fanfic before and haven't worked on it for a LONG time. But I'm a fan of the Tortall stories about different female characters in the rogue, so I'm writing one. If any of you have any good stories you think I would like please let me know. **

**Other than that, the only characters I own are the ones you don't recognize from the books. All others belong to the amazing Tamora Pierce.**

Chapter One:

The wind rushed through the open door and down the dark corridor of the Parsawood castle, as a dark figure entered the royal blooded household. The wind abruptly stopped as the door closed and the castle was silent. The intruder held their breath for a minute that felt more like a life time, as everything in the castle seemed to be on hold. As it was night time everyone I the castle was supposed to be asleep, and luckily for the unexpected guest, they still were.

As the intruder silently padded through the stone building, glancing into one room after another, he finally found what he was looking for. He pushed open the last door at the end of the hall filled with sleeping quarters, and surveyed the room around him. The walls were made of the same white marble the rest of the castle was with a dresser and closet off to the side. There was a huge window that looked out across the lake and grounds of Parsawood with long light blue drapes keeping out the light. In the center of the room was a baby sized canopy bed with the same light blue hangings.

And in the bed, lay a young girl who couldn't be more than four years of age. This also happened to be the exact object which the midnight visitor was looking for. The girl had dark almost black hair that had slight waves in it and came to loose curls at the end. Though her eyes weren't open the intruder knew that her eyes were deep bluish color that shown in the sunlight.

Knowing that he didn't have much time left, the intruder used his magic so that her sleep wouldn't be disturbed by him. He carefully moved the child into his arms, managed to gather some of her clothes, and leave the Parsawood castle as quietly and unnoticeably as he had entered it. And together, he and the young child disappeared into the night.

Sometime later that night, a similar group of strangers slipped into the castle, there were four of five of them. But these intruders were different from the last simply by the looks they wore on their faces. While they all had looks of business, on this group you could also find traces of anger and hate.

As the intruders left the castle with looks of surprise and whispering furiously, the light was just coming over the mountains in the distances. But as the sun rises again, the royal blooded family of Parsawood never would. This family, who was closely related to the king, and this bloodline that gave them power, had been killed off all in one night.

--

The morning sunlight shown through a window into a bedroom; the light hit the face of a 15 year old Serena as she opened her deep blue eyes. She rolled out of bed, pulled on her clothes and walked into the main sitting area of the small cottage where she had spent her childhood. Her father was already up and sitting outside working on his weapons. Her dark hair fell to her mid-back and was blown slightly in the wind as she walked outside to join her only parent.

"Good morning," he said as she sat down.

"Yeah it is," she replied nodding her head after looking at the sky and safely judging it wasn't going to rain.

"Are you going into town today Serena?"

"Yeah, I was thinking I would. I haven't seen any of my friends in few days"

"Well, just be careful about who you hang out with and which purses you and your friends take. Not everyone is harmless and it can be dangerous."

"Don't worry so much I'm good, I'm the best there is here. Besides, you do it."

"Yes well, I grew up this way…"

"And so did I. I'll be fine, I was taught by the best." Serena flashed the kind of smile at her father that no parent can resist.

"Just don't be gone long Serena."

"Thanks, love you." She said as she gave her father a hug.

She turned towards the small village near by and started to run. A smile spread itself across her face and a tingling started in her fingers as she thought of the kind of money she could snatch today. The yearly carnival was the next day so all of the powerful nobles of the surrounding area were coming in today. She never did understand why her father was always so worried about her stealing, she never got caught.

She was getting close to town so she slowed to a walk as she found her friends waiting for her just out side the shops. They yelled greetings at her as she joined her group and they started down the street in a pack.

"Wow! Serena check that guy out." Serena's best friend Kayla said while staring at a wealthy looking noble who was riding by on his horse.

"Damn, I bet he's completely loaded," replied the 16 year old guy to Serena's left, Lorenzo, her closest guy friend.

"Yeah but it would be near impossible to steal his purse," Serena noticed glancing around at their surroundings for the first time. "Look at all the guards,"

"We need an easier target… oh Serena, how about that guy down there. He isn't too rich, but he looks like he has enough money that he could afford to share." Kayla said with a knowing smile creeping across her face and glancing at Serena.

A twin smile was making its way across Serena's face. She glanced at Lorenzo and disappeared into the crowd. Kayla laughed and grabbed Lorenzo's arm, "come on, lets get up on the roofs so we can watch this with the perfect view."

Serena appeared a few minutes later walking towards the man from the other side. The man was now standing in front of a fruit stand with many, many, apples. As Serena got closer she pushed the apples so they poured out into the street. She placed the perfect surprised look on her face as she pretended to slip. Just as she thought he would, the man bent down to help her up but as she was muttering "thank you sir," she carefully grabbed his purse and walked off into the crowd.

Before long, Serena joined her friends on the roof tops. But while from the ground Serena's plan had been pulled off with out one hitch, the view from the roof tops had been a bit different.

When she noticed her friends looking at her with worried expressions she remarked, "what's wrong with you guys? It worked perfectly! No one noticed."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that Serena. Look down there." Kayla said nodding towards that corner where the scene had taken place. There was a man there, and he was staring directly at Serena.

"He noticed you when you first knocked the apples over," Lorenzo added.

Serena turned her blue eyes toward him and soon he disappeared into the shadows. "Well, he's gone now." Looking up at her friends who were still wearing worried looks, she added, "what?"

"Well, he didn't look like he was up to anything good. There were others with him earlier, you didn't see them," Lorenzo offered.

"Well I'm sure it's no big deal. Anyway, I'm going home so I will see you guys tomorrow, okay?" Serena said brushing it off.

"Yeah, we'll see you. Be careful." Kayla said.

"Yeah, whatever." Serena turned and walked down the roofs until she got to the end of town where she jumped off. As she started on her way home she wondered why everyone was always telling her to be careful, it wasn't like she ever got in big trouble.

--

That night hen Serena was laying in bed thinking, she heard a loud crash and then a thud come from the shed outside the house where they kept extra weapons. She sat up wide awake, yanking on her clothes and running towards her fathers room. She found her father halfway there on the way to her room wearing a scared expression.

"What's happening?" She whispered.

"I don't have time to explain, just grab your things and take this," he said with fear seeping into his voice and handing her a wooden box she had never seen before.

"Where are we going?" Said Serena as she ran to her room, now truly scared.

"We aren't going anywhere." She looked at him looking horrified, about to say something but he cut her off handing her a piece of paper. "We don't have time. Take the horse and follow those directions. Everything will be explained to you in good time. Hurry! Someone is coming." They ran to the back door where the horse was already waiting, and as a last gesture he gave her a letter. "Give this to the man in charge of where your going. I love you Serena."

And that was the last thing that Serena's father said as he crumpled in front of the man from the village. She screamed as she ran towards the horse with the man chasing her. She wasn't sure how she did it but she managed to jump on her horse without pausing and take off into the night in the same breath. And when she was far enough away, only then did she look at the destination her father chose for her. And as she stared at it she realized it could only lead to one place, Corus.

**Okay, so tell me what you think. **

**Any suggestions? Questions?**

**Please let me know.**


	2. Chapter 2

-1**Okay, thank you all so much for reading my story. And thanks, to those of you who did, for reviewing it really helps. So, here is the second chapter and hopefully you all will like it.**

**Again, the only characters I own are the ones you don't recognize from Tamora Pierce's books.**

Chapter 2:

The sun was setting behind the distant mountains for the second time since Serena left her home on horse back. She had been riding without a break since her father was killed pushing her out of the door with a map. A map which she had been following religiously, as if the destination would be the answer to all of her questions. She had been too afraid that her murderers were following behind her to stop and check her directions. But only now, as she looked out over the city of Corus, did she release a small sigh of relief.

Moving at a slight trot, Serena started making her way through the street of Tortall's capital city. Out door market stands were being packed up, parents were rounding up children, and soon the alleys and streets of Corus were almost completely empty. She could see candles being lit through the windows of the small houses she passed by. As she rounded a corner on to another street, she saw what looked like a big tavern lit up by torches hanging outside by the door.

Serena neared the tavern, being drawn by the light, so she could read the rest of the map. She wasn't about to sleep somewhere in the streets, in an unknown city, with murderers following her. The light cast shadows across the writing but she could read it.

Serena turned in a circle trying to figure out where she was and which direction to go, but then a thought struck her. She glanced down at the map and back up at the door, and let out a timid laugh. This tavern, called the Dancing Dove she noticed by looking at the sign, was her destination. Though, she could imagine her father sending her here, this Dancing Dove didn't look special.

However, she tied up her horse in the back under the shelter with the other horses, grabbed her bag and entered the tavern through the back door. Inside, the Dancing Dove was like a small party, there was men everywhere and a few women too. At all the tables people where sitting drinking their ale, talking, laughing, and some where playing games that included wooden chips and money. She recognized the game, she used to play it with all of the thieves back home.

Realizing that she was becoming distracted, she walked up to what looked like a front desk but more of a bar and asked a man missing a few teeth, "Is there anyway I could possibly get a room for tonight?" She knew she sounded desperate.

He looked like he was about to argue but than his face softened into a reluctant smile. He reached under the counter and handed her a key.

"It's the third door on the left." he said nodding towards the stairs.

"Thank you so much." She said, relief seeping into her voice. "How much do I owe?"

With a small smile he replied, "Don't worry about it, save your money. And you can have that room for as long as you want."

"I couldn't… are you sure?" He nodded his head. "Thank you, sir."

"It's John Marshall, miss. And while you're here, as interesting as the company can be…" he said sending a meaningful look towards all of the men, now surrounding the table where the game was being played, "you'll want to be careful."

Serena snapped her head towards the door as it opened, and a knight walked in, he was obviously not apart of the group that lived here. She was suddenly very aware of her surroundings. She watched the exchange, as a man seated at the table gave a nod to another man at the game. The man walked nonchalantly towards the knight and swiftly relieved him of his purse, the knight never even noticed.

She was brought back to her conversation by a low chuckle from John, who had been watching her face through the whole transaction. Instead of being shocked and slightly scared as was expected, she turned to John and let a smile slide across her face.

"You know, I think I'll be alright." She said looking into his slightly surprised but laughing face. "And so you know, my name's…" she realized just in time, she probably shouldn't be giving out her true name, just in case someone was looking for her. "…Juliana Saunders." And she turned and headed up the stairs.

Serena pushed open the door to the room that was to belong to her for as long as she needed. The room was small with the window directly across from the door, and the back board of the bed against one wall with a dresser and mirror corresponding with it on the opposite wall. There was a chair in the corner by the window, in which she dropped her bag, she would put her stuff away tomorrow.

Serena locked her door but pulled her knife out and hid it next to her bed so that if the thieves did find away in… well, she would be prepared. She blew out the burning candle on the dresser, and laid down on the bed. The moon shown through the window and hit the mirror, and for the first time since she left, she really thought about her friends. She wondered if they would be alright, but of course they would, they had all the thieves on their side.

Serena closed her eyes and thought, "when I wake up tomorrow, there will be no more Serena, just Juliana." And as she fell asleep, the weight of the past two days came crashing down around her.

--

Juliana opened her eyes, and looked around her; searching for the source of the noise that had woken her up. Standing at the end of her bed, in front of the mirror and just about to grab her bag of belongings from the chair, was a boy that looked to be about 16 years old and he was looking right at her. She sat up and leaned back on her elbows to get a better look at her intruder. His blondish-brown hair almost fell into his blue-green eyes, she noticed.

Juliana rolled out of bed, still fully clothed and ran her fingers through her hair to straighten it. She quickly reached down and, without letting him see, grabbed her knife and hid it next to her hip. She raised her eyebrows slightly as she got closer to the boy who had straightened up.

"You seem a bit lost." She said with a small smile, silently daring him to make the wrong move. "Can I help you?" She added sarcastically.

"I'm not sure, but if your around for awhile we could figure that out." He said straightening up with a smile that looked more like a smirk.

Juliana's fingers traced the handle of her knife as she sat in her hip. "You're one of those thieves from downstairs, huh?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't say from _just_ downstairs, the rogue practically owns this place." He answered gesturing around the room. He now looked completely relaxed, like breaking into someone's room and then having a conversation was completely normal.

"The rogue?" She said slightly surprised. "So, you're apart of it?"

He gave her a funny look before answering. "Yeah, I don't have much of a choice. My brother, Kieran, he's the King so it's kind of a family honor type thing, you know?"

"Umm… actually, not really." Juliana said, looking down slightly. All the sudden, there was the sound of a bell from downstairs.

"Well, I better go," he said turning around towards the door, then stopping. "I realize that it is kind of rude to invite myself into your room without even giving you my name…"

"It's rude to invite yourself into my room, with or without a name…"

"I'm Rodrigo."

Juliana considered not giving him her name, but realized he would figure it out one way or another. "Juliana" she answered, crossing her arms.

"Well, than I will see you around…" Rodrigo said turning around in the doorway. And giving a slight bow with his head as a cocky smile slid on to his face, "…Jewels." He closed the door behind him as he walked down to breakfast.

Juliana considered yelling after him, for the new nickname, but realized she would have to yell loud enough for everybody to hear if she wanted to get his attention. That was something she didn't want to do. Getting everyone's attention in a building full of thieves was not something she wanted to do at all.

She reached into her bag and grabbed a new shirt and as she did this, she remembered that she was going to need some money. She had barely brought any with her. Juliana wasn't about to go downstairs and see that Rodrigo again, but she was going to have to get out of her room if she wanted to find, or rather steal, any money at all. She yanked open the window and looked out on the street, there were tons of people, and plenty of them had nice looking purses.

She swung her left leg out the window, and as a light breeze hit her face she smiled and a familiar tingling started in her hands.


End file.
